Devices for women&#39;s hair



Aug. 4, 1959 M. R. WAGNER mzvxcss FOR WOMENS HAIR Filed Nov. 1, 1956 ATTORNEY IN V EN TOR. MARY R WAGNER United States Patent '2,s97,s"2 s. DEVICESFOR WOMENSHAIR Mary R. Wagner, Rochester, N.Y.

Application November 1, 1956, Serial No. 619,884

1 Claim. (Cl. 132-48) This invention relates to a device for womens hair, and more particularly, to a device for maintaining a womans hair neatly in position, in a particular hair style.

An object of the invention is to provide a device which is adapted to maintain a womans hair in a particular style, and whereby the style is maintained in neat arrangement despite considerable activity of the wearer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device, of the type described, employing a novel gripping means whereby a lock of hair of the wearer may be securely held within the device, ensuring against the slipping of the device relative to the lock of hair.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device, of the type described, which has an aesthetic appeal and enhances the hair style of the wearer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device, of the type described, which may be easily applied to the hair of the wearer and which is comfortable when worn.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device, of the type described, which is simple in design and is susceptible to inexpensive manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be set forth in the claim and will be apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device.

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the device.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the device shown in closed position.

Figure 4 is a similar view of the device showing the same in an open position.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a modified form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing another modified form of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 through 4 of the drawing, the invention contemplates a barrette for womens hair comprising a flat body 7 to which is attached a spring arm 8. The arm Sis attached to the body 7 so as to form a juncture 9. It is obvious that the arm 8 may be attached to the body 7 by means of a hinge joint or any other suitable conventional means. The body 7 may be slightly ourved in its general configuration and is provided with a fastening means 10 such as a hook. A resilient strip 12 having a width slightly less than that of the body 7 is secured to the inner side of the body 7 between the latter and the arm 8. The strip 12 is formed with a plurality of transversely extending V-shaped projections 13 providing transversely extending grooves therebetween. As shown in Figure 3, the free end of the arm 8 is engageable within the hook 10 so as to maintain the device in a closed position.

In operation, a lock of hair is placed between the arm 8 and the body 7 so that the strands of hair fall within the spaces 14 of the strip 12. When the arm is moved 7 2,897,825 Patented Aug. 4, 1959 to its closed position relative to the body 7, the lock of hair is thereby securely held within the device. The strip 12, which is of a resilient and flexible material such as rubber or soft plastic, has the characteristic of firmly securing the device in position relative to the lock of hair, and any slippage between the device and the lock of hair is thereby rendered negligible.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawing. This form illustrates the type of barrette which is preferably used by an individual with heavy or thick hair. A large lock of hair may be accommodated within this type of barrette. This form comprises a body 15, being substantially curved, and an arm 16 which is secured to the body 15 by means of a juncture 17. In this modification, the juncture 17 takes the form of a conventional hinge means, although any other suitable form of attachment could be employed. A fastening means 18 is carried by the body 15 which is adapted to engage the free end of the arm 16. A relatively wide strip 19, having the same characteristics as the strip 12 in the previously described form of this invention, is secured to the inner surface of the body 15. This device functions to contain a lock of hair in a manner similar to the operation of the previously described form of the invention.

A further modification of the invention is illustrated in Figure 6, which form comprises a flat body 20, to which is suitably secured a relatively wide flexible arm 22. A pair of flexible and resilient strips 23 and 24 are secured to the inner surfaces of the body 20 and the arm 22, respectively. The strip 23 is provided with projections 25, having spaces 26 therebetween. The strip 24 is similarly provided with projections 27 and having spaces 28 therebetween. As is obvious, the device may be applied to a lock of hair which is positioned between the arm 22 and the body 20. The arm 22 is moved to a locked position relative to the body 20, which secures the strands of hair composing the look within the spaces 26 and 28 of the strips 23 and 24, respectively. In this position it is noted that the projections 27 of the strip 24 mesh with the projections 25 of the strip 23. This form of the invention, because of the employment of two strips of resilient material, namely, strips 23 and 24, presents a gripping means having the characteristic of maintaining the barrette in an extremely tight engagement with respect to a lock of hair.

Although the invention has been illustrated in connection with various types of barrettes, it is obvious that the principles involved are equally applicable to other articles employed to be worn in womens hair. The novel gripping means or flexible strip employed in this invention can be applied to numerous different types of such articles as head bands, ornamental pins, braids, etc., in order to secure the latter in a fixed position relative to the hair of the wearer. It would also be apparent that the gripping means or resilient strip could be effectively mounted to the inner surface of the movable arm instead of to the body members of the barrettes described hereinabove.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A device for womens hair, comprising: a body member; an arm hingedly attached adjacent one end thereof to said body member, said arm being smooth and unobstnucted on its under side; means on said body member for engaging the opposite end of said arm for holding said arm in predetermined spaced relationship with said body member for closing said device; and a resilient strip of soft rubberlike material separate from said body member but adhered to said body member along the side thereof facing said smooth underside of said arm, said side of said arm and said resilient strip When said device;

is closed whereby the hair is forced into and firmly gripped in said grooves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Richard July 7, 1931 Polak Jan. 19, 1937 Huppert Jan. 3, 1939 Solomon Nov. 11, 1941 Jackson July 9, 1946 Gresham et a1 Jan. 22, 1957 

